Sheet feeder for printing presses



Feb. 14-, 1939. -w ECKHARD 2,147,286

SHEET FEEDER FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Dec. 22, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTO R N EY5 Feb. 14, 1939.

W. K. ECKHARD SHEET FEEDER FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Dec. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 12 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS F Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHEET FEEDER FOR PRINTING PRESSES Application December 22, 1937, Serial No. 181,063

7 Claims.

This invention is directed particularly to sheet feeders of that type which handle once printed sheets having a coating of a non-ofiset material, such as parafiin, over their printed faces. In feeders of this class the offset material and ink is accumulated to a greater or lesser degree upon the feed plates and thereby causes successive sheets to be misfed, thus delaying the productive output of the press.

I-Ieretofore, the feed plates had to be individually removed, cleaned, replaced, and readjusted, thus requiring a considerable amount of time and labor.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby one set of feed plates may be moved away from the other set, thus leaving both sets readily available for cleaning; said means being then used to bring the sets back into their cooperative relationship without the necessity of readjustment or resetting of the individual feed plates.

This moving of one of the sets away from the other set when so desired permits the ready removal of the torn sheets and also permits easy access to the individual plates for adjustment, replacement, repairs, etc.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 represents a detail side elevation of so much of a sheet feeder as includes my invention, the upper set of feed plates being shown in its lowered position;

Fig. 2 represents a similar view with the upper set of feed plates shown in its raised position;

Fig. 3 represents a front elevation with the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 represents a similar view with the parts in the positions they assume in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 represents a detail cross section, taken in the plane of the line V-V of Fig. 3.

The side frame members are denoted by I. The rotary sheet feed carrier 2 has its shaft 3 mounted in suitable bearings 4 in the said side frame members I. This rotary feed carrier 2 is shown as provided with a single set of sheet grippers 5.

The once printed sheets are fed between the feed plates 6 and I of the upper and lower sets, said sheets being fed from a suitable source of sheet supply, not shown, to the usual front stops 8, in position to be taken at the proper time by the set of grippers 5 on the rotary feed carrier and transferred thereby to a cylinder of the printing unit, also not shown herein.

Cir

Each feed plate I of the lower set is carried by a bracket 9, fixed to a crossbar l0, mounted at its ends in side uprights I I. Side uprights I2 are provided with a crossbar I3 for supporting the rear ends of these lower feed plates I.

Each feed plate 6 of the upper set is carried by and adjustable with respect to an arm M, which arm is adjustably secured to a crossbar I5, fixedly mounted at its ends in supports l6 mounted to swing about the axis of the rotary sheet feed carrier 2.

The means which I have shown for moving the upper set of feed plates away from the lower set of feed plates is constructed, arranged, and operated as follows:

A crank handle II is fixed to a cross shaft l8, suitably mounted in brackets I9 uprising from the side frame members I. Depending arms are fixed to the rock shaft H8 at the opposite sides of the machine. Connecting rods 2| are pivoted at their upper ends to the arms 20 and at their lower ends to the swinging supports I6. The downward movement of the swinging supports I6 is limit-ed by providing the side frame members I with inwardly projecting stops 22 which are engaged by outwardly projecting stops 23, carried by the swinging support IS. The upper set of feed plates is held in its raised position by the overthrow of the arms 20 of the crank handle II.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a very simple and eflective means for raising the upper set of feed plates away from the lower set when required for cleaning, for removing a torn sheet, or for any other purpose, it being seen that this bodily movement of all of the upper feed plates permits the bringing of the plates back to their operative position without the necessity of readjustment, or resetting of the said plates after they have once been carefully adjusted to their coactive relationship with their corresponding lower feed plates.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described, but what I claim is:

1. In a sheet feeder for printing presses, upper and lower sets of feed plates, a movable support for the upper set, and manually operated means connected to the support for raising the upper set away from the lower set.

2. In a sheet feeder for printing presses, upper and lower sets of feed plates, a movable support for the upper set, and manually operated means connected to the support for raising and holding the upper set away from the lower set.

3. In a sheet feeder for printing presses, upper and lower sets of feed plates, a swinging support for the upper set, and manually operated means connected to the support for swinging the upper set away from the lower set.

4. In a sheet feeder for printing presses, upper and lower sets of feed plates, a swinging support for the upper set, and manually operated means connected to the support for swinging and holding the upper set away from the lower set.

5. In a sheet feeder for printing presses, upper and lower sets of feed plates, a movable support for the upper set, a crank handle, and a rod connecting it with the support whereby the crank handle may raise the upper set, away from the lower set.

6. In a sheet feeder for printing presses, upper and lower sets of feed plates, a swinging support for the upper set, a crank handle, and a rod connecting it with the support whereby the crank handle may swing the upper set away from the lower set.

7. In a sheet feeder for printing presses, a rotary sheet feed carier, upper and lower sets of feed plates therefor, a support for the upper set of feed plates mounted to swing about the axis of the rotary carrier, and a hand crank connected to the support for swinging the upper set away from the lower set.

' WILLIAM K. ECKHARD. 

